Pros and Cons of Rattan Furniture Use

There’s a common misconception that rattan and wicker furniture are one and the same. Rattan is a type of plant. Wicker is the way in which plants are woven into furniture. Wicker can consist of rattan and other plants like bamboo, reed, rush, core and willow. One thing they have in common though is that they are both great materials for furniture. Let’s look at some similarities, differences and pros and cons of rattan furniture use against wicker furniture.

We can study the pros and cons of rattan garden furniture use first. Rattan grows in tropical forests of the Far East. 70% of the rattan population is found in Indonesia, Borneo, Sulawesi and Sumbawa islands. The rest are found in the Philippines, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It’s shaped like a pole with a diameter of one to three inches. If you let them, rattan can grow up to a hundred feet in length and is one of the strongest types of vine-like stems on the planet. They are actually palms, not trees.

Rattan has a solid core unlike the hallow bamboo pole, making it more durable and harder to break. Rattan doesn’t warp like typical wood and is quite ideal for furniture making. The long stems of rattan are cut into shorter lengths and then molded into the shape you want. These make up the frames of the furniture. You can peel the outer skin of the rattan pole and use it to wrap the joints of interconnected rattan stems. You will rarely have to use nails to construct rattan furniture, unlike wooden furniture.

There are disadvantages to rattan or wicker if left out doors on a permanent basis. Weather can take its toll on rattan or wicker furniture. After a year or two, it can become dried out and brittle. It will also eventually fade in color. Most rattan and wicker furniture are painted or varnished. Paint may start to chip off from being wet in the rain or exposed to too much sunlight and heat. Even with its disadvantages, many people still love the way rattan or wicker look. Using rattan or wicker indoors is like bringing in the outdoors to your living room. You can use them in dining rooms, bedrooms and in your office.